Obata-type theorems for some Riemannian foliations (Q2376605): Difference between revisions

Inspired by \textit{M. Obata}'s theorem from [J. Math. Soc. Japan 14, 333--340 (1962; Zbl 0115.39302)], the author provides several sufficient conditions for a complete orientable Riemannian manifold \((M,g)\) of dimension \( n\geq 3\) to be either diffeomorphic to \( \mathbb S^{n-1} \times \mathbb R\) if it is non-compact or to \( \mathbb S^{n-1} \times \mathbb S^{1} \) if it is compact. For example, some of these conditions are related to the existence of a complete \(g\)-Riemannian foliation \(\mathcal F\) on \(M\) of codimension 1, transversally orientable and for which the unitary field orthogonal to \(\mathcal F\) satisfies a certain equation related to the gradient. Other conditions are related to the existence of a regular totally geodesic flow \(\mathcal F\) on \(M\) and the existence of a non-trivial constant function on the leaves of \(\mathcal F\) satisfying the same type of equation as above. Several interesting corollaries and examples are also presented.